At Risk of Redundancy

[Gokiwi64]

So I have been employed continuously for 14 years at the same place , then 4 years ago we were bought out and put at "risk of redundancy" after a year we were "sold" to another company initially it was all smiles and fun with "we have no intention to interfere with the existing setup", then in February this year we were put at "risk of redundancy" , with a notice date of May, this then got changed to July, then September now January 2019 or maybe even April 2019.
The new company decided that our systems were ****, old and not fit for purpose and so a process of migrating our customers to them began , in the meantime we have to keep the lights on until the last customers are migrated but with no investment , support or help.
I even joined a union, waste of time that.
I come into work 5 days a week to push a mouse around my desk for 7 hours then go home. I'm not learning, not being challenged , not working on anything in particular.
It's like a living death.

I have an option to jump , have had a fair few interviews but age is hurting me (so much for age cannot be discriminated against), or I can go slowly but surely mad and die a slow death waiting for a piss poor redundancy when ever that maybe.

Sorry for the rant - bit low at the moment facing a future on the scrapheap isn't nice.

 

[Jimbobcook]

That's some crap news, seems like the company that bought you out are a little bit pants!

Do you have an IT skill set or more towards data input? You thought about getting into a course to progress all be it money I know but it may help to show you're keen.

Discrimination is everywhere without a doubt even if it's frowned apon.

Hope you get something sorted soon.

You don't by any chance have lots of detailing products to start a bit of work on the side? You can get quite a good bit of profit from properly cleaning cars... I'd be all over it if my body would let me lol.

 

[DarrenAnthony]

Keep at the interviews. No need to mention anything about possible redundancy. Most companies are always happy to take on someone who is already in employment. Once you get a yes, you can go straight for the redundancy and get a bit of a pay off. So there's a bit of bonus spending money there.
Sounds like you don't like your current job anyway, so it could actually all be a blessing in disguise for you.

 

[Husbandofstinky]

You are doing the right thing, hanging on in there (possible redundancy) whilst continuing to look around in the meantime.
I don't know what the redundancy situation is or could be (new owners, contracts etc) and it may be worth getting a little free advice on that one (CAB etc)

It is a bummer getting older and can empathise although not quite in the 50's just yet!

My only advice is that, if you do not have massive financial commitments or you have a little capital behind you, is to go self employed in whatever route you choose. Like the detailing option mentioned above.

There are definite pros and cons being self employed as many on here would vouch for, however, on the whole I would personally recommend it purely on the grounds of flexibility. Yes you can work evenings/weekends but you can also take days off in the week too. Once established you can pick and choose your jobs and who you work for. You can also tailor your days working up to retirement if you do not need as much income (say three days a week). It is a little difficult that one working for someone else.

Getting there is the problem and will probably take a couple of years, hence the current financial commitments/capital behind you at the moment. A potential redundancy payment may help you out too.

I do have quite a number of clients from all sorts of backgounds (professional/skilled etc) and for what reason or another have ended up in gardening (cutting grass etc). In the lean winter months some do DIY too for their clients. If you do a good job it is repeat work (there are many out there who just don't turn up) and in this age of of ever increasing life expectancy, the client base just seems to get bigger and bigger. There are loads of elderly around here living in big houses without the clout to manage their gardens. Ball park basic gardeners earn in between £14 and £18 per hour around here. The irony is that for many, this career starts in their 50's for one reason or another, many through redundancy but also just to leave the rat race. I do have one client who was a free lance high flying biochemist (international jobs etc) who had enough and took to the quiet life of being a paid gardener.

Just my two penneth as they say and yes I am self employed and have been for many years.

 

[Gokiwi64]

For my sins I am a "Senior Systems Infrastructure Analyst - Network Focused" and have 30 years I.T experience in general and 3.5 years military service (yes Iam THAT old ).
I am considering self employment as an option so not ruling that out in fact that may be a very viable option depending on the redundancy package.
I actually like the work I do , just not the situation I'm in or the politics around it.

As for cleaning cars I'm very much a function over form sort of person - more from necessity than design. - That might change over time though.

 

[Husbandofstinky]

Wow 30 years of doing the same stuff (I know it evolves) and still liking it makes me feel envious.

Almost 30 years of doing what I have been doing and tbh all I do is tolerate it now.

Not a bad profession but for that length of time, I am bored of it and all of the government red tape that has come about in the accountancy profession over the last 5 to 10 years. Ball ache.

Still the positives are that it pays well and being self employed, it is flexible (just got back in from an evening meeting at a client's tonight). Another 9am meeting on site tomorrow, blitz it til lunch and then a few beers at the pub Friday early afternoon. On rare occasions, I never get back to the office but that's when its a 'sod it' state of mind (after a particularly hard week). Still planning on spending one day at the 'orifice' this weekend. So, Swings and roundabouts as they say.

Being your own boss definitely empowers you though and to say no to people and jobs you don't want to do is great. Just don't sell yourself too short to get the work initially, slightly undercut by all means but not slave labour to get the job otherwise they will expect the same rate when the next one turns up.

Just my interpretation of the meaning of life on the work front.

 

[Deleted member 103408]

For my sins I am a "Senior Systems Infrastructure Analyst - Network Focused" and have 30 years I.T experience in general and 3.5 years military service (yes Iam THAT old ).
I am considering self employment as an option so not ruling that out in fact that may be a very viable option depending on the redundancy package.
I actually like the work I do , just not the situation I'm in or the politics around it.

As for cleaning cars I'm very much a function over form sort of person - more from necessity than design. - That might change over time though.

As an EX IT guys check out IR35 its a big deal in the IT World and being self employed.

I fully agree @Husbandofstinky being your own boss is the best, when you dont like what your customer is telling you then its No, if they dont like it then here is my 2 week notice (that helps a lot).

When it comes to rates and negotiation I once went in for an interview, the big boss liked me the guy I was going to work for was unusure.
I had been on holiday for 4 months and needed to get work on my cv so I said to the Guy "tell you what I will work for one week for nothing and you can see if you like me or not". 1 Hour later got the job start on Monday. When I started I asked the guy am I getting paid for the week and he said yes. I said how come and he said. Do you know how hard it is to get somebody on site who is not being paid, all the red tape guys get very scared. So my advise dont reduce the rate offer 1 week for free because they cant take it on.

Whatever happens good luck and as the other guys say you need to believe in yourself. Dont be cocky as that scares people when you know more than them.

 

[Gokiwi64]

Im very nervous when it comes to interviews and the like , so I try to be humble but in a positive way , yeah cocky is for the young ones .....

Thanks for the comments folks , support definitely welcomed.

 

[Husbandofstinky]

Interviews and quoting for jobs etc. are very similar situations imo. All I can say be yourself, be honest and tell them how it is. I can do this, I can't do that but I have done the other etc

I haven't done a job interview in well over 20 years so I wouldn't know what the world is like on that front nowadays. To me honesty has always been the best policy as BS can be smelt a mile off usually by the interviewer who has probably been in the game for some time. When self employed you could get away with a bit of BS to get the job but tbh I guess you would get found out in the end and risk the the possibility of getting repeat business from that customer.

Things might not be exactly what you are used to but none of it is rocket science and with a bit of effort you could get the job done anyhow. There is stuff you can do and stuff you can't, the rest of it tends to be achievable with a bit of effort.

Honesty with your skills set is paramount but the offer of going out of your usual comfort zone will go a long way too. Just be yourself and if you are good at your current job and with the right work ethic I can't really see there being any problems. It's the infamous getting your foot through the door that will be key, once there I think you will be on your way.

Probably totally the wrong way to go about interview techniques from those in your know but at the end of the day it is about who you are. I think also that if the interviewer thinks your face fits organisation and who you will be working with goes along way too. It is not purely about skill sets I reckon. Will this guy fit in?

Above all good luck, enjoy the weekend and stay relatively positive.

 

[Deleted member 103408]

^^^^ fully agree, employers like people who can work in the TEAM but at the same time can get on and do the job with minimal supervision.

Get your CV On the Jobsites and Linkedin that's where the agents look for people.

You will be asked stupid questions like Where do you see yourself in 5 years (I am self employed so self employed was my answer) and what was your best success and failure if you do it helps to have answers.

Last bit of advise from me, I used to apply for hundreds of jobs, most I never heard back from and many failed interviews - its normal.
I once asked a client would it help if I put my picture on CV - He said no because i was ugly but being serious he said if I saw a guy with a beard I would not interview him. however if he came in for interview and sold himself i would employ him so as above its about does your face fit

 

[Jimbobcook]

I agree with this, when getting people in to our IT team here 90% of the interview is checking to see if you fit in with how we work (banter etc) anything can be learnt but if you're a douche then you're a douche which cannot normally be removed from someone lol

You normally find you know way more than you think so just be normal like stated above.

Good luck and keep it up you'll get something!

Cheers

 

[Legojon]

Last bit of advise from me, I used to apply for hundreds of jobs, most I never heard back from and many failed interviews - its normal.
I once asked a client would it help if I put my picture on CV - He said no because i was ugly but being serious he said if I saw a guy with a beard I would not interview him. however if he came in for interview and sold himself i would employ him so as above its about does your face fit

Yeah, when I was out of work a while back I had a thing where I forced myself to send out 2 cvs/covering letters every day. Even if I was just going through the yellow pages for local IT companies and no job had been advertised (don't ask, don't get). However... the thing I find really weird. I was always taught clean shaven for a job interview because employers don't like beards. But these days everyone has a beard! How does that work?

have had a fair few interviews but age is hurting me (so much for age cannot be discriminated against)

I'm just starting to hit the discrimination barrier. Which is annoying. A colleague of mine summed it up best. We need young people in the work place to bring enthusiasm and new ideas. But we need us older ones as well to bring the experience and wisdom. And it's so true, the number of fresh out of uni developers I've watched chase their own tail whilst I drink coffee thinking "that's never going to work".

 

[Gokiwi64]

We have a uni type , his paper credentials are impeccable , ask him to make a cross over cable or rack a router and its a train wreck..........

 

[Jimbobcook]

We have a uni type , his paper credentials are impeccable , ask him to make a cross over cable or rack a router and its a train wreck..........

That's a vital bit of IT kit!
Did you facepalm?

 

[Legojon]

We have a uni type , his paper credentials are impeccable , ask him to make a cross over cable or rack a router and its a train wreck..........

We were waiting for one kid to finish adding to the source code. He said it'd take months to fix the 2500 compiler errors. How can you introduce 2500 errors in a day? But turns out he was going through the Microsoft code suggestions tab instead of the actual error tab and it worked all along.

 

[Gokiwi64]

He is known as "S**tforbrains" .........................hence forth to be applied to all people subscribing to a paper based qualification with absolutely no practical capability.

We have been told that in all likely hood we will be "around" until June/July 2019 - still no specific date, when asked about the redundancy cap and bonus/salary review was simply told ~"youre still getting paid".

Bit grumpy at that last statement....

 

[Jimbobcook]

We have been told that in all likely hood we will be "around" until June/July 2019 - still no specific date, when asked about the redundancy cap and bonus/salary review was simply told ~"youre still getting paid".

Bit grumpy at that last statement....

The time frame keeps shifting which sucks but it does give you more time to get something else sorted in the mean time.

That last statement wasn't needed, this Uni type guy is he new to the company? are they still bringing people in or just plodding along?

 

[Deleted member 103408]

New kids are cheaper to employ and if less than one year with the company easier to get rid off.

At an interview you have to sell the benefits of age (you are proven at adapting to change, working with brand new tech, Working on small, medium and big projects, Your boss does not have to manage you etc etc) and the training cost is much less....

 

[Deleted member 103408]

and also based on personal experience of employing older people after a night out on the town (say 2 beers ) will make it into work the next day on time and deliver a days work. Some others age groups phone up and take a duvet day or just go sick. One of my mates got laid off from the print and because of his age could not get work, in the end he went in a one week contract just to prove to the guy he was better than the kids. Got a permy job and all his boss ever complained about was people not coming to work and letting him down..

@Gokiwi64 As the adverts say "YOUR WORTH IT" and when you get your next job and hand your notice in they will look all surprised and say BUT WE NEED YOU..Funny old world.

 

[Legojon]

and also based on personal experience of employing older people after a night out on the town (say 2 beers ) will make it into work the next day on time and deliver a days work.

I don't want to put the in my day hat on (because I'm really not that old). But I think the last sick day I took off work was... 2002. And includes the likes of working 7-7 including both weekend days. 50 odd hours overtime a month. I can't imagine my kid getting up before midday!